SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom: banks starting with F

Bank SWIFT codes for United Kingdom

Our directory lists 4648 banks and financial institutions in United Kingdom. Every code identifies an institution or one of its branches and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Pick a bank below to see its head office code and its other codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. Further down we explain how a code from United Kingdom is put together, how to send money to United Kingdom at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient copy their bank details straight from their online banking. If the code you have does not match our list, do not guess.

This list is based on publicly available sources. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Use this list as a starting point, not as the final word: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison service and not part of any bank listed here.

Scammers regularly send fake invoices with changed bank details from what looks like a familiar address. A valid BIC says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: banks under :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks in United Kingdom starting with :letter to make searching quicker. The totals mentioned above still refer to all banks in United Kingdom and not only this selection.

Bank not listed? The registered name might start with a different letter, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The full overview for United Kingdom is one click away if the letter filter does not help.

What a transfer to United Kingdom really costs

What you pay for a transfer to United Kingdom has several parts – not only the fee you see. There is a transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: set the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in United Kingdom across providers.

HSBC Bank PLC and its SWIFT codes

Of all banks we list for United Kingdom, HSBC Bank PLC has the largest number of codes. Its main office has HBUKGB41XXX.

Many codes often means separate codes for branches, departments or services. Making a payment to HSBC Bank PLC? Use HBUKGB41XXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

Receiving money in United Kingdom from abroad

If you are waiting for a payment from another country on an account in United Kingdom, give the sender everything they need in one go. Give them the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Your bank’s code is in our list. It helps to include your bank’s name and city as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Charges on incoming payments vary from bank to bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

United Kingdom and the British Pound

Most accounts in United Kingdom are usually held in GBP, the local currency. A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into GBP – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference. Often it is cheaper to send GBP directly via a transfer service with a good rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates move during the day, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

When does money sent to United Kingdom arrive?

An international transfer to United Kingdom typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Bank holidays in either country add extra days to the journey.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived.

Recognising a SWIFT code from United Kingdom

SWIFT/BIC codes use one international format: 8 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

In every code from United Kingdom, characters five and six show the ISO country code of United Kingdom. If the country letters do not match United Kingdom, you are looking at a bank in another country, so check again.

An 11-character code ends in three characters for a branch. For most transfers the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Euro payments to United Kingdom: is a BIC needed?

Because United Kingdom is in the SEPA zone, a euro payment to an account in United Kingdom usually requires just an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

You still need a SWIFT code when sending non-euro payments or money from outside the SEPA area. SEPA transfers usually arrive within one business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Fees are generally low provided everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.